From Then to Now...

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Here are quite a few photos of the latest events going on in South Korea these days. The pics you see of the posters are from the day all the International School students walked a 5k to raise money for "thirsty kids". These are kids and families who do not have clean drinking water. I was so proud of them!! They all finished the walk, and on top of the gave over and above the amount we wanted to raise. We were able to buy one sanitary pit, several taps, and I believe one disaster relief kit to provide safe water for two individuals after a natural disaster. These kids raised enough money to save HUNDREDS of people from dyeing because of unclean water. Congrats ANCA students!!

The scenery shots are places around my house. I thought you guys might like to see where cows live. Its nice to see people water skiing and wake boarding on the river again. Yay its spring time too! The flowers are amazingly beautiful. They are so bright and colorful. The cherry blossoms have also started to bloom and are beautiful as well.

The colorful, Disney-like photos are from a theme park we went too called Lotte World. It is pretty much like a Korean Disney. The kids enjoyed it and had a blast. The architecture and creativity was incredible at the park. There was one place that is all inside which had a couple roller coasters and other rides inside. Also in the middle of this building there is a ice skating rink. Its a pretty big place and we had some fun :)

I have more photos but its pretty much impossible to upload all the photos on here. It would take me hours. Happy Monday!!

Third Grade

Hi Everyone! Well I thought it was time to blog about my new students and new job. Due to some circumstances at the school, I have now become the third grade teacher. It has been a big adjustment going form 1st grade with 2 students to 3rd grade having 10 students. However, the lesson planning takes a LOT LESS time. I would spend about 5-6 hours planning on Sundays for first grade. I planned 3rd grade last week in 2 hours! I was excited.

The kids are really great. They are super smart and I love how they are connecting themselves with the change in the world. For International school we are taking Matthew 25:35 and focusing on each part of the verse every month.

"For I was hungry and you face me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me"

This month, we are focusing on hungry kids and will be participating in World Vision's 30 hour famine. We will also be raising money to send to Africa to help hungry children. The third graders really seem to be grasping the concept of children in other parts of the world not having enough food. In various writing assignments, journal times, or discussions in class, hungry children will be brought up by one of the students. It is awesome to see their hearts toward children who are hungry and dying daily from malnutrition.

I am looking forward to teaching this class for the next several months. We will have fun :)

The first two photos in this post are from missions elective which is the last class period on Thursdays. All the students come together and are grouped into countries( my team, Bolivia, is below). In the missions elective the kids learn about the natural disasters, and reasons why their specific country is having problems with hunger, education and other reasons for poverty. In the picture below we were just about to start a game (that is why Crystal has an orange and grain clipped to her pocket).

The other photos are of my classroom and the kids making Valentine boxes for our Valentines party we had last Friday.

Speaking of Valentine's Day, Korea has some interesting traditions. There are around 5 special "love" holidays..that what I call them. :) For Valentine's Day women will give men chocolate, and then in March the men who received chocolate, will then give chocolate to the woman who gave it to them. I am not sure if they regularly keep to that tradition because I saw a lot of men in Seoul getting stuff for women on the 14th. Anyways...just thought I would share a random Korean fact.

Pretty much that is what has been going on here as far as third grade. I can't believe March 1st will be my 7th month! Crazy how fast time goes by.

Bye!

3rd Grade here I come

Here is the latest on my life in Korea. I am no longer teaching 1st grade. One of my students was pulled out of the school and there is a need to a third grade teacher sooooo that will be me.

This week I have been shadowing and checking out third grade, as well as, changing my first grade classroom into a third grade classroom. I have a lot of small details I need to get done, but will hopefully accomplish them by Monday...which is the first day of teaching 3rd grade for me. I will post photos of the classroom and students eventually. :) Oh, thats another thing I will have 10 students now...quite a difference from 2, but I am excited. I will miss 1st grade, but it will be a neat experience to teach 3rd.

My school is doing the 30 hour famine right now with World Vision. Which means that our hall is decorated with poverty statistics on cradboard boxes. The kids also made some neat projects out of cardboard that are hanging from the ceiling. I will have to post photos of that as well. I am super stoked about that too. The third graders really seem to be connecting with the poverty of other children, and noticing that in Korea they are very blessed to have food, clothes, and shelter. I think it will be a good experience participating in this project with the third grade. I will let you all know how that goes too.

SO as a side note and some random, fun things that have happened lately....#1 two other teachers and myself found a bowling ally (which we have been to two times already)!!! #2 I just skyped my sisters and my mom ALL at the same time. It was super cool having a conference call...so anyways I just thought I would fill you all in. :)

Ok Peace Out and pray for Korea b/c #1 North Korea is being weird these days.... and #2 my city is in a drought so there isn't much water. (A neighbor at the school is providing ANCA with a little bit of water)

I think I am really finished blogging now...I need to go to bed. Good Night!

-Krissy

SOme fun things...

So I just thought I would post some fun, crazy things about ANCA and Korea in general : )

-Lunchey (that's not spelled incorrectly...read as written : )

-Tuesday Nights

-AMAZING KIDS!!!!

-Wild Horses

-Costco

-the subway station and random songs

-Neighbors

-Tiger Shirts

-Eyes peering through glass doors and windows

-Disclosing of an individuals bowel issues...lol

-Two hands on a kid's head making a heart and hearing "saranghayo"

-Feel Espresso

-The New Subway

-The taste of a french fry from McDonalds

-Vacuums

-A copy machine that only likes to run when its "sweet talked"

-The screeching voice of a certain child

-Deborah and Christel's spunkiness

-wrinkled suits

-"there's a mouse in my house"!

-Muscles and swimming the Han River...lol

-Frozen pipes and a washer

-Random things appearing in a classroom every day lol

-Rob Bell day!

-pre school vs. elementary in soccer at lunch

- Oh Snap! They ARE girl jeans...lol

-Baby girrrr

-Baggy sweatpants

-The man with the crazy pants at the gym

-blow drying the wall

-Thursday night dinners and shopping

-late night runs to Mega Mart or 7-11

- spoons and ice cream

-wow, there are a lot of coffee houses here! We should check them out sometime!

-snow ball fights

-boiling water

-fellow teachers

-Pastor In's humbleness

-burnt pants

-"oh noooo"!

-Tubby



I am having a lot of fun working at ANCA. I love the kids, the people and it has been an unforgettable experience! It's hard to believe that Feb. 1st will make it 6 months! These are only a few of the inside jokes...I would be more than willing to add more if anyone has any suggestions :)

It's about time for an Update!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry, it has been a crazy couple months. I apologize that I have not kept y'all updated on life here in Korea. Well, I am writing to report first of all that it snowed yesterday!! Oh, it snowed so much and I for sure have had a few snow ball fights :) Actually the day it snowed, I noticed it was a lot warmer than usual. It has been in the single digits Fahrenheit for the past week or so, and when it snowed it was in the double digits and a lot warmer. Just in case you all are wondering I am surviving the winter!! Not only am I surviving, but I am liking the cold, surprisingly.

To keep you all updated I was in America for 6 weeks from Nov. 24-Jan 4th. During that time I had the opportunity to hang out with my Dad and chill with him. It was great being home, but at the same time I missed Korea. However, when I returned I had complete peace. Although it was difficult to leave America considering the circumstances, once I walked through baggage claim and was greeted by 4 girls jumping up and down, nearly knocking me down with their hugs and eagerness to see me, I knew Korea was the place for me right now. I have to say that I have complete peace where I am.

I got home at 12am Monday morning and was at work a few hours later. I thank God I did not have jet lag too bad! I literally have hit the ground running since I came back to South Korea. It's been good being back but tiring at the same time...because I wasn't unpacked I felt unorganized. lol Yes, many of you know my confusingness that kinda happens when I am not organized...lol...it seems to knock my schedule off a bit. Although I was not organized I kept going and had a great week...lol day 14 of being here...I have finally finished unpacking and moved back into my room COMPLETELY. lol

truKIDZ is doing really well. There seem to be some technical problems with the computer and worship videos but we are improvising :) I brought some worms and chocolate pudding for a "mud pie" game at church. The kids really enjoyed it. The pre school at church is really growing...there have been around 12 kids and around 16-20 in kids church. It's been a fun exerience!

Ok so today...I went to the orphanage with two other teachers. It was fun to see the kids there again. I have to say though that sitting on the floor with a kid playing it really gets me to thinking about their situation. It gets me to thinking how I wish I could adopt them all, take them all home with me...and then it gets me to thinking how many families in America have the space to provide a loving, family environment for foster children, but because they don't want their perfect lives to be messed up they choose not too. It gets me how many Christian American families have guest bedroooms for their family that visits maybe 1 week out of a year...while the rest of the time it sets empty with the door open so guests visitng for dinner can see the beautiful decor of the guest room.

I guess the whole thing of my rambling brings me to the point that there is a need. There is a need in Korea, there is a need in America: the need for children to be loved, to be placed in a loving environment and to feel love in a healthy way. I'm not sure who reads these....if anyone does, but if you have the opportunity and the means to provide a healthy environment for a child, then change a life,show God's love in a tangible way and consider fostering a child. Be Christ's arms and demonstrate His love. There is such a need. There are so many people who can impact these children's lives, and who can assist these children in shaping their lives and the roads they travel when they exit the foster care system.

Just some thoughts from today...and I have posted some photos of the snow here. I hope you all enjoy.

P.S.

If anyone is interested in fostering email me @ knwelborn@gmail.com. I will be more than willing to provide you all with contact information for you all to begin this process.

God Bless!

-Kristina

"Yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the Potter, we are all the work of Your hand."

Isaiah 64:8

giggles and glasses

Ok so first off I just want to say that I love working with kids and honestly, i think its gotta be boring for people who talk on the phone all day at work....i'm not thinkin' I could do that for 50 hours of my life a week! I seriously think I would go insane!

Well, with that being said...lol...I am really noticing how kids can get hurt from parents. I guess b/c of being a social work major and finally being able to observe behaviors I have learned about in classes..I find it interesting but also sad. Its so different observing the behaviors rather than living them. I can't see it as a professional issue with me being on the outside looking in but rather it becomes a personal issue for me when I see one of my students struggling or hurting...its more of a passion I guess. I am finding that most of working with kids is being empathetic...for me its not a job, but I am realizing how much of a passion I have for kids. Lol something I didn't want to do when I was in high school: working with kids.

To be honest I got hurt today and mad at the same time...I wanted to cry and almost did...Today, 10.31.08, Chloe (one of my 1st grade students) turned 8 years old (Korean). It is common for the mom to bring a cake to school, maybe show up, and have a party at the school. Well, Chloe's parents didn't do anything...no cake...nothing. To be honest, its not that surprising b/c they normally don't attend school graduations or parent day's for her. However, it ripped my heart out when she told me several times today that her mom was not coming to school or bringing a cake.
Chloe is such a cute little girl! She is spunky and has the most amazing laugh ever. Its pretty awesome how God created children to be so resiliant that amidst the dumb things adults do which can really effect kids, for the most part, they will not be as hurt as if it was an adult/ adult situation but try to brush it off....like Chloe: throwing her head back and forth giggling while her glasses are coming off. : )

I was supposed to go to Seoul today for a teacher's meeting but ended up staying with Chloe b/c of her bday. I am REALLY glad I was able to not attend the meeting so I could stay with Chloe. WE had a great time! A few of the ladies at school decorated a room just for her bday. They gave her a princess sceptor with a real rose, bought her a cake, and we celebrated. There were only a few of us there for Chloe's small party (8-10), but we made a huge deal about it...then there was Chloe with her huge smile, red glasses, and laugh showing the adults in the room that life throws you curve balls....its not always what you planned it to be, but to hang on and share your laughter with somebody else no matter your circumstance.

Happy Birthday Chloe!!!!

Odds and Ends

Girl's night with Lauren!

The "grass" picture is a photo of the rice field being harvested.

Joy Teacher (Korean Kindergarten) invited us to her house so we went for dinner a few SUnday nights ago. It was a lot of fun. Anyways, there is a nice resort across from her house where we all walked too and went outside to take photos...this was one: at the castle : )

The picture with us by the cross is a photo that was taken for a well known newspaper in Seoul. ANCA was recognized as being the #1 ESL program in Korea. (I think I got that right...lol I don't remember this was a month and ahalf ago or so...)

THe wheel barrel has Esther and I in it. Joy teacher's husband is pulling us around. Lol that was fun too : )